The present invention relates generally to aircraft information networks and, more particularly, relates to a modular aircraft information network utilizing commercial off-the-shelf technology.
In the aircraft industry, there is an increasing interest in the use of non-aviation computer technology, often termed commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) technology, in non-essential aircraft applications. This interest is driven, in part, by the low-cost availability of advanced applications and equipment developed for the large commercial computing market. As will be appreciated, however, the aircraft industry poses significant design, operational, and regulatory burdens on equipment utilized in aircraft. Also, equipment utilized in aircraft must typically interoperate with ground-based functions utilized during operation of aircraft. In addition, the technologies required for successful implementation of a single function aboard an aircraft are rarely completely designed by a single company. The universal implementation of such technologies is typically organized into interfacing layers, with hardware, lower level software, middleware and applications provided by a vast network of companies. Implementation of similar functions for aircraft use can theoretically follow one of two paths: (a) meet all of the standard design and production objectives by having one or more companies specifically contracted to produce the functions; or (b) plan to acquire major portions of the required hardware and software functionality by the purchase of predefined products that are integrated by one or more companies specifically contracted to produce the functions.
Typically, the only economically feasible solution to the implementation of similar functions for aircraft use is to acquire major portions of technology in the form of purchased products which are, of necessity, not specifically designed for aircraft use (i.e., COTS devices). Such a conclusion is not new. Efforts to deploy aircraft COTS technologies began more than a decade ago as it became obvious that functional and performance requirements precluded traditional custom avionics development. As will be appreciated, there are significant differences in regulatory and environmental-related requirements between traditional aviation electronics and non-aviation COTS electronics regardless of the COTS market source. In this regard, experience has shown that some of these differences are so high that life-cycle costs may not be reduced in all instances, and can even be increased, if appropriate design and process changes are not implemented for systems using COTS components.
Typically, to successfully produce a part for use aboard an aircraft, five major steps must be accomplished: equipment production, equipment qualification, aircraft installation (including integration), aircraft certification, and aircraft operation (continued airworthiness). As will be appreciated, then, each of these steps involves substantially higher cost than any equivalent process in other markets. During the past efforts to deploy aircraft COTS technologies, progress has been made toward reducing design, production and aircraft certification costs for the use of COTS equipment. However, the expense of qualification, installation and rapid obsolescence continue to keep costs high enough for this type of equipment that the airline industry has found it difficult to justify its expense.
As an example of how the expense of qualification, installation and rapid obsolescence continue to keep costs high for COTS technologies, consider that many systems aboard aircraft can be designed to include both COTS technologies and aircraft-specific technologies. Also, consider that many systems employed aboard aircraft are embodied in separate enclosures, referred to as line replaceable units (LRU""s), which are interconnected as a federated network. Typically, each LRU must be qualified before the aircraft can be operated with an installed LRU. As will be appreciated then, each LRU must also typically be qualified after any additions, reductions or other modifications are made to the LRU. Such a qualification, while beneficial in identifying any problems with the LRU""s before use in an aircraft, typically requires qualification of the entire LRU, regardless of the modification. In this regard, qualifications of LRU""s can require an undesirable amount of time to complete, and can be costly. By utilizing COTS technology with a reduced service life, or higher obsolescence, in LRU""s that may otherwise have a higher service life, LRU""s employing COTS technology will typically go through a larger number of costly qualifications, as compared to LRU""s employing only aircraft-specific technology.
In light of the foregoing background, the present invention provides a modular aircraft information network system and an associated method of packaging the same. The modular aircraft information network system of embodiments of the present invention is a less costly network than conventional aircraft information networks. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention reduce cost by sharing resources (e.g., power supply), and utilizing less-costly connections between various, typically internal, elements while consolidating more-costly, higher speed connections between external elements. Embodiments of the present invention also permit commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) devices to be integrated into the network in a modular manner, with COTS devices easily added to and/or removed from the network. In this regard, the COTS devices are typically electrically, mechanically and electro-magnetically isolated from avionic devices, as well as the aircraft within which the network is installed. As such, COTS devices can be added to or removed from the network without requiring changes to, or requalification of, remaining avionic devices, including those that may operate with the COTS devices.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a modular aircraft information system is provided for communicating information onboard an aircraft. The modular aircraft information system includes a backplane and a network router module, and may also include an avionics interface module. The backplane is capable of receiving at least one COTS device. The backplane can receive the COTS devices such that the COTS devices are capable of being electrically coupled and/or decoupled to the backplane. The network router module is capable of interfacing with at least one avionics device. The network router module is in electrical communication with the backplane such that the network router module is capable of passing communications between the COTS devices and the avionics devices when the COTS devices are electrically coupled to the backplane. The network router module can be capable of interfacing with the avionics devices via at least one optical fiber. In turn, the network router module can be in electrical communication with the backplane via at least one electrical conductor. Advantageously, the network router is capable of isolating the backplane from the avionics devices such that the COTS devices, when electrically coupled to the backplane, are at least partially isolated from the avionics devices.
As indicated, the system may also include an avionics interface module. In such instances, the avionics interface module may also interface with at least one avionics device. Also in such instances, the network router module can be further in electrical communication with the backplane and the avionics interface module such that the network router module is capable of passing communications between the avionics interface module and the COTS devices when the COTS devices are electrically coupled to the backplane. Advantageously, the network router is also capable of isolating the backplane from the avionics interface module such that the COTS devices, when electrically coupled to the backplane, are at least partially isolated from the avionics devices. Also, the avionics interface module can be capable of interfacing with the avionics devices via at least one optical fiber. In turn, the network router module can be in electrical communication with the backplane and the avionics interface module via at least one electrical conductor.
The modular aircraft information system can also include at least one power supply capable of supplying power to the network router. In addition, the power supply is electrically coupled to the backplane such that the power supply is capable of supplying power, such as a predetermined level of power, to the COTS devices when the COTS devices are electrically coupled to the backplane. More particularly, the power supply can include at least one backup power module capable of supplying backup power to the COTS devices when the COTS devices are coupled to the backplane and the power supplied to the COTS devices by the power supply drops below the predetermined level. In this regard, the backup power modules are capable of supplying backup power such that the sum of the backup power and the power supplied by the power supply substantially equals the predetermined level of power.
The modular aircraft information system can further include a housing that defines an internal cavity. The internal cavity, in turn, can be capable of receiving the backplane and the network router module. In addition, the internal cavity can also be capable of receiving the COTS devices. Advantageously, the housing can be capable of at least partially isolating the backplane and the network module from an external environment including the aircraft. Similarly, the housing can isolate the COTS devices from the external environment, such as from vibration, shock, electromagnetic emissions, and/or temperature.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for packaging a modular aircraft information system. Embodiments of the present invention therefore provide a modular aircraft information system and a method of packaging the same. As described above and more fully below, the system and method of embodiments of the present invention solve the problems identified by aircraft networking prior techniques and provide additional advantages.